I actually stumbled upon a great way to improve my battery life with my laptop.

Remote Desktop. I connect to my home computer that is on 24/7 anyways and that keeps my laptop from using its drive or processor much at all. I got 3.5 hours off my last charge doing that rather than letting the little P2-366 render webpages and such(it's honestly a little faster that way too since the P4 at home renders everything).

I actually stumbled upon a great way to improve my battery life with my laptop.
Remote Desktop. I connect to my home computer that is on 24/7 anyways and that keeps my laptop from using its drive or processor much at all.

and I doubled the fuel economy of my car by leaving it in neutral with the engine running and towing it with a 3/4 ton truck..
Use the desktop OR the laptop. Using both uses more power than using the greater consumer of the two.